GENEROUS residents will get the chance to have their names immortalised in clay by supporting a new scheme to redevelop a dilapidated community hall.

St Barnabas Church Hall in Woodford Green - which is used by dozens of community groups and societies each week - has major structural problems and faces an uncertain future unless nearly £500,000 can be raised to rebuild part of it.

The congregation has now called on residents to help out by 'buying a brick' for £20, which will then have their name inscribed before being used in the reconstruction of the building.

Rev Graham Sawyer, of St Barnabas, said: "The hall has big subsidence problems because it was built over a stream.

"It is in a pretty poor state and we need to raise quite a lot of money to carry out the work that needs to be done.

"The buy-a-brick scheme has been popular so far, and is a great way for people to support this.

"The hall is used by so many people from the community every week, and is an important local resource.

"We sold £400 worth of bricks the other day which was great."

More than £1,400 was raised for the project when former Blackadder star Tony Robinson visited the church in Snakes Lane West to give a talk on his career on Saturday, November 7.

But Rev Sawyer said the congregation needed all the support it can get to fund the scheme.

He said: "We've made about £200,000 so far so we still have along way to go."

For more information call the church on: 8504 8869